In midnight shocker, lorry falls off Anna flyover; driver hurt

The accident happened after the lorry driver fell asleep while driving the vehicle and suffered injuries. The police said that the incident took place around 1.45 am and the stretch was cleared by 4.30 am. A portion of the flyover parapet was damaged after the lorry crashed into it and damaged an auto rickshaw and two Tata Ace mini vans that were parked on the road under the flyover.

The driver, identified as Manikandan (24), a native of Mudichur in Kadaperi was travelling from Chrompet to Thiruvotriyur and was hired to transport metal and sand. However, during the time of accident, the lorry was empty. The police said Manikandan lost control of the vehicle after it crashed into a stone that was kept as a barricade on the stretch and hit the parapet and toppled onto the road. Soon after, the damaged portion of the flyover was covered with a temporary structure.  Riyas, owner of Janatha Timber Depot, had parked two Tata Ace mini trucks below the flyover, which were damaged in the mishap. He said the lorry came from the Thousand Lights side and was travelling in direction of Saidapet. 

“Luckily the stone on the road prevented further damage, otherwise the vehicle would have crashed with greater force and would have even damaged roadside shops,” he said. The police have registered an FIR under IPC 279 and 377. Manikandan was rushed to Royapettah GH and is said to be in a stable condition.  In a separate incident, at 4 am on Tuesday, a MTC bus (M17) crashed into a tree near Phoenix Market City in Velachery. The driver Loganathan, reportedly fell asleep and the windshield of the bus was damaged. However, no one suffered injuries.